42.09 Slovakia: Bystra Lavka, one of the toughest we did: Heat, snow, ice and sharp rocks...and then we left the apartment for the trail.
Early going as we approach and climb the side of the waterfall. Earlier, one of us was stranded on the mountain for twenty minutes, not finding a path down and had the horrid thought about requiring rescue. Later, when I saw the rescue helicopter on our return, it became an emotional moment. There are hikes/climbs that separate the girls from the women and this might just be one of them. The sign displayed 'No Entry' when we reached one of the high points on the trail, a few hundred feet below the peak. However, when we looked at the climb leading from beyond the sign, we noticed a number of hikers struggling upwards. What to do? I asked one of the men standing at the sign to explain. "Deutsch or English?" He asked. Don't you like choice. "English," was the obvious reply. "Nein," he answered. I thought paying nine Euros was a little pricey for some advice. "Don't be dumb," Jenni said, "He means he can...